Stars Let Late Lead Slip Away in OT Loss to Stampede

LINCOLN, NE-Round two of Stars-Stampede kicked off Friday night with Lincoln aiming to win their second-straight and Sioux Falls looking to end a five-game skid.

It was the Stars who came out faster in the first. Lincoln was bolstered again by its top line, who didn't take long to get started, following a three-goal effort last Sunday. Josiah Slavin tallied his fifth goal of the season just 6:17 in, assisted by Caleb Rule and Shane Pinto to put Lincoln up 1-0. The Stars continued to pressure until taking a double-minor for high-sticking late in the first. As usual, Josiah Slavin made his presence known shorthanded, drawing a penalty to cut the second half of the double-minor short on a short-handed rush to the net. His play helped the Stars take the 1-0 lead into the first intermission.

Sioux Falls jumped out of the gates in the second, as Jeppe Urup's shot through a screen at 0:48 tied the game at one. The rest of the period was a quagmire of penalties, as both sides took multiple trips to the box. The Stars killed four penalties over a ten minute span of play, and five total penalties in the period to keep the game even at one heading into the third.

The first half of the final frame saw Lincoln dominate, with goals from Josiah Slavin and Caleb Rule to build a 3-1 lead halfway through the period. Sioux Falls responded with impressive grit, netting two scores to draw even off the sticks of Ryan Sullivan and Jami Krannila, forcing overtime. In the extra period it was Krannila forcing the issue again, as the rookie tied up a loose puck in front of the net long enough for Cade Borchardt to streak in and flip the game-winner home.

The Stars will look to respond quickly, as they travel to Waterloo tomorrow night for faceoff at 7:05 pm.

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